Concentrated Liquid Soap Pumpability via Fatty Acid Ratio Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
High concentration liquid soap formulations with greater than 50% soap content typically exhibit thick, solid, or gel-like rheology, making them difficult to pump and dispense from containers, as they contain large amounts of hexagonal and solid surfactant phases, which is challenging in production and usage as personal cleansers.
Innovation Solution
Maintaining specific critical parameters such as the ratio of free fatty acid to neutralized soap, counterion, saturation, chain length distribution of fatty acids, and solvent concentration within defined ranges allows for the control of hexagonal and solid surfactant phase formation, achieving a pumpable viscosity suitable for dispensing, which can be achieved through controlled neutralization or mixing of fatty acids and soap.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If high concentration soap formulations (>50% soap content) are used, then water content is reduced and environmental benefits are achieved, but viscosity increases and pumpability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the ratio of free fatty acid to neutralized soap within specific ranges (e.g., 1:1 to 10:1), along with controlling chain length distribution (C10-C30), saturation levels, and solvent concentration. These parameter adjustments modify the rheological properties to achieve pumpability while maintaining high soap content
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite material principles by combining multiple components in specific proportions: neutralized soap, free fatty acid, and solvent in controlled ratios. This composite approach creates a formulation that leverages the properties of each component to achieve both high concentration and appropriate flow characteristics
2Quantity of substance
If high concentration soap formulations are used, then water content is reduced, but rheology becomes thick and gel-like making dispensing difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls rheological stability by adjusting critical parameters including the free fatty acid to soap ratio, chain length distribution (C10-C30), saturation content (30-80%), and solvent concentration (10-50%). These parameter modifications prevent excessive gel formation while maintaining compositional stability
Solution Approach 2:
The solvent acts as an intermediary substance that mediates between the high soap content and the desired flow properties. The solvent (10-50% of formulation) provides lubrication and reduces viscosity, enabling dispensing while allowing high soap concentration to be maintained
3Ease of operation
If controlled neutralization parameters are maintained, then pumpable viscosity is achieved, but formulation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
While the patent does require controlling multiple parameters (free fatty acid to soap ratio, chain length distribution, saturation levels, solvent concentration), it simplifies the approach by providing specific target ranges for each parameter rather than requiring complex optimization. The controlled neutralization process follows a systematic methodology that reduces formulation complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables the production of highly concentrated liquid soaps with a dispensing force of less than 300N, allowing for easy dispensing and providing environmental benefits and cost savings by enabling the use of concentrated products that can be diluted at home or during production, reducing transportation costs and water usage.
Implementation Method 1
reacting a soap stock comprising oils, triglycerides and fatty acids with a neutralizing solution, preferably a caustic solution such as KOH, to obtain composition where ratio of soap to free fatty acid is between 2:1 to 20:1
Implementation Method 2
the thick rheology associated with high concentration liquid soap composition is the result of the large amount of hexagonal and solid surfactant phases present in the soap at high concentration
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides concentrated soap compositions formulated in such a manner that, quite unpredictably, despite high concentration of soap, they have viscosity which allows them to be pumped from, for example, consumer packaging (e.g., bottles) and/or transit or storage points during manufacture (e.g., pipes, storage tanks, etc.).